G6 Alliance to keep just 5 loops in Asia-North Europe

Thursday, January 17, 2013

The G6 Alliance announced Thursday that it will maintain the current five-loop product structure for its Asia-North Europe service in 2013 and not replace a loop suspended this fall.
“We anticipate the current supply and demand balance will continue and we will not be reinstating the Loop 3 Asia-Europe service,” members of the alliance said in a joint statement. The Loop 3 service was suspended in October 2012 as part of the alliance’s "winter program." It said other G6 services cover the ports that had been served by Loop 3.
The G6 Alliance said it will continue offering a variety of services between the Far East and Europe covering all major port pairs with weekly sailings.
In addition, it said adjustments have been made to the alliance’s other services to accommodate port calls from the Loop 3 service to ensure that customers continue to receive full network coverage. For example, the alliance had in October started a feeder shuttle between German ports and Gothenburg. A new call at Jeddah has also been included in the Loop 4 service, and a new call at Hong Kong in Loop 7.
The G6 Alliance members include APL, Hapag-Lloyd, Hyundai Merchant Marine, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Nippon Yusen Kaisha and Orient Overseas Container Line.
The G6 Alliance launched its service last year after Maersk started its Daily Maersk service.
Reportedly, the G6 Alliance is considering extending the agreement between members to trades from Asia to the U.S. East Coast. - Chris Dupin